Brassieres



M. GINGRAS Feb, 14, 1961 BRASSIERES Filed May 9, 1958 IN vnv To R 17%?(51 Gavan/vs .3 I, Y 1 r ,yrrolwvff United States Patent BRASSIERES Marcel Gingras, Quebec, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Dominion Corset Company Limited, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Filed May 9, 1958, Ser. No. 734,204

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-494) This invention relates to improvements in brassieres.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a brassiere including a pair of breast pockets joined along their inner margins and side body encircling panels with resilient means interposed between each breast pocket and an adjacent side panel for simultaneously exerting outward tension on said breast pocket in a plurality of directions.

A feature of this invention resides in a combined outward circumferential tension and a downward and outwardly inclined tension along the lower and outer margins of the breast pocket to control at the same time the size of the brassiere and any tendency toward gaping at the upper margin of the brassiere.

Another feature is to combine the circumferential expansion with an upward and outwardly inclined tension along the outer margin of the brassiere breast pocket in order to pull the lower and intermediate portions of pocket about the breast so as to control the pocket on the breast in a snug fitting position thereabout.

The above and other objects and features characteristic of this invention will be understood more readily from the following detailed description tflcen in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front view of a brassiere illustrating a preferred embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the brassiere shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modified form of the brassiere shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, 5 generally designates a brassiere including a pair of breast pockets 6 joined along their inner side margins by a vertical central seam 7, a pair of diaphragm bands 8 each being joined along its upper margin to the lower margin of a breast pocket, as indicated at 9, and to each other along their inner side margins by a continuation of the central seam '7, and a pair of side panels 10 adapted to extend about the sides and rear of the wearer, each side panel 10 having its forward side margin 11 connected to outer margins of intermediate elastic side sections 14 and 15 which have their inner margins connected along the outer side margin 12 of an adjacent breast pocket 6. Rear extensions 16 of the side panels 10 are provided with complementary fastening means for securing the brassiere about the wearer. The brassiere is also provided with two shoulder straps 17, each extending from the upper margin of one breast pocket 6 to the rearward portion of an adjacent side panel 10.

Each diaphragm band 8 is formed substantially of elastic material which is arranged beneath the breast pocket. An extension 8a continues outwardly therefrom to the lower portion of the forward side margin 11 of the side panel 10. Diaphragm band 8 stretches in the circumferential direction of the garment as indicated by arrows A. The outer side margin of the diaphragm band extension 8a is connected to the lower portion of the side panel 'ice forward margin, as indicated at 19, substantially at right angles to the direction of stretch of said diaphragm and has its upper margin upwardly inclined, as indicated at 20, from said side panel to the adjacent side margin of the corresponding breast pocket 6.

The first intermediate side section 14 is made of elastic material and extends between the upper portion of the side panel forward margin 11 and the outer side margin 12 of the adjacent breast pocket 6 so that the stretch of said first intermediate side section is upwardly inclined, as indicated by arrows B, from the side panel 10 to the breast pocket 6. The side margins of said elastic side section are secured to the side panel and the breast pocket respectively as indicated at 21 and 22. The upper margin 23 of said first intermediate side panel 14 lies along and is secured to the upper edge of the brassiere and parallels the line of its stretch. The lower margin 24 also parallels the line of stretch of said side section and is substantially spaced from the upper inclined marginal portion 20 of the diaphragm band extension 8a.

The second intermediate side section 15 is made of elastic material and is arranged between the side panel 10 and the adjacent outer margin 12 of the breast pocket 6 so that its stretch is downwardly inclined, as indicated by arrows C, from the side panel 10 to the breast pocket 6. The outer margin of the second section 15 is secured along the length of the forward margin 11. of side panel 10 and the innermargin is secured along the outer margin 12 of the brassiere breast pocket 6 so that upper and lowerportions of side section 15 underlie the first side section 14 and the diaphragm band extension 8a and an intermediate portion extends across the gap between said first side sect-ion 14 and the diaphragm band extension 8a.

The upper margins of sections 14 and 15 are united to each other as indicated at 25. Apart from the above mentioned margins being united, as above described, the lapping portions of sections 14 and 15 within these boundaries, as well as the lower margin 24 of section 14, are free of attachment to permit relative elongation of these side sections along their respective lines of stretch.

In addition, the lower margins of diaphragm band extension 8a and side section 15 are united to each other as indicated at 26. The outer margin of extension 8a and the corresponding underlying margin portion of side section 15 are united to a common portion of the forward margin 11 of side panel 16 by the stitching indicated at 19. Likewise, the inner margin of side section 15 underlying that portion of the inner margin of diaphragm band extension 8a which .is secured to the breast pocket 6 is united by a common line of stitching indicated at 27. Otherwise the lapping portions of section 15 and the diaphragm band extension So as well as the upper margin 20 of extension 8a and the lower marginal portion 28 of the inner side margin of side section 15 extending between the breast pocket 6 and the bottom of the diaphragm band 8 are free of attachment to permit relative elongation of said side section 15 and extension 8a along their respective lines of stretch.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a modification in which the lower margin of elastic side section 14 is oppositely inclined, as indicated at 2411, with respect to the upper margin 23 instead of being parallel thereto in the manner shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement serves to increase the width over which the downward and outward tension is applied to the upper portion of the breast pocket 6. In other respects the features of this modified form are identical with those of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

The relative arrangements of the elastic diaphragm band 8, including extension 8a, and the first and second intermediate side sections provide a novel combination of directional stresses which tend to improve the fit of the brassiere as well 'as to provide increased comfort to the wearer.

The diaphragm band 8 and its extension 8a which stretches circumferentially of the garment serves'to control the size of the brassiere permitting it to expand circumferentially and to fit snugly about the wearer in the region of the diaphragm. This diaphragm band also serves to rigidly retain the lower portion of the breast pocket around the under side of the breast while other stresses are being applied to the breast pocket.

The second elastic side section 15 which extends from the top to the bottom of the brassiere exerts an upward and rearward tension which pulls on the side of pocket to control the position of the pocket about the breast. This action in combination with the action of the diaphragm band in its function of rigidly retaining the lower portion of the pocket around the under side of the breast tends to draw the breast pocket outwardly into a moulding contour over the breast while drawing the outer side margin of the pocket to a snug fit along the side of the breast.

The first elastic side section 14 which exerts a downward tension on the upper portion of the breast pocket draws the upper margin snugly about the upper region of the breast. This downward tension serves to counteract a slight tendency on the part of the upper portion of the second elastic side section 15 to cause the upper margin of the breast pocket to gap. This tendency on the part of the second side section is due to the fact that an upward and outward tension is being applied to portions of the pocket adjacent the upper margin which engage a receding portion of the breast. side section 14 also prevents gaping of the upper margin of the breast pocket during body movements or when addition exertion is applied to the brassiere through the shoulder straps.

What I claim is:

1. A brassiere including a pair of breast pockets joined together along their inner margins, a pair of side panels arranged outwardly of said breast pockets to encircle the wearer, an elastic diaphragm band secured to the lower edge of each breast pocket to stretch circumferentially of the brassiere, each diaphragm band having its inner margin secured to the other and being provided with an outwardly directed elastic extension secured along its outer margin to a lower portion of the forward margin of an adjacent side panel, a first elastic intermediate side section secured between the outer side margin of a breast The tension of pocket and the forward margin of an adjacent side panel and secured to the upper margin of the brassiere and to the lower margin of the diaphragm band extension in lapping relation with said diaphragm band extension to exert tension on said breast pocket at an upwardly and outwardly oblique angle to the line of stretch of said diaphragm band with a lower portion of the first elastic intermediate side section and the overlapping portion of said diaphragm band extension exerting a combined oblique and circumferential tension, and a second elast c intermediate side section secured between the upper portions of said breast pocket outer margin and said side panel forward margin in overlapping relation to the upper portion of said first intermediate side section to exert a downwardly and outwardly inclined tension in combination with the upward and outward tension of the lapping portion of said first intermediate side section.

2. A brassiere as set forth in claim 1, in which said first intermediate side section has its lower portion underlying said diaphragm extension and is free of attachment thereto except along common points of attachment to the breast pocket, side panel and lower margin of the diaphragm band extension for relative independent stretch of the diaphragm band and the said first intermediate side section.

3. A brassiere as set forth in claim 1, in which the upper margin of said second side section extends along the upper margin of said brassiere and in which the lower margin extends parallel to the said upper margin of said second side section and in spaced relation to the upper margin of said diaphragm band extension.

4. A brassiere as set forth in claim 1, in which the upper margin of said second side section is downwardly and rearwardly inclined and in which the lower margin is upwardly and rearwardly inclined and in spaced relation to the upper margin of the diaphragm band extension whereby the downward and outward tension is exerted over a substantial width of the outer side margin of the breast pocket from a substantially lesser portion of the said side panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,481,603 Lo Cascio Sept. 13, 1949 2,713,683 Krieger July 26, 1955 2,719,975 Rosenthal Oct. 11, 1955 2,869,554 Hollar Jan. 20, E 

